


Not only a tradition

by szczepter



Series: 30 days cheesy tropes challenge [3]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: 30 Day Cheesy Tropes Challenge, Christmas Fluff, M/M, all the christmassy things you can imagine, also merry christmas, i suck at christmas fics, trope: mistletoe fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 11:34:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8978029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szczepter/pseuds/szczepter
Summary: Christmas is not the same everywhere





	

**Author's Note:**

> JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS YEE. Please take this away it's very lame omg, but I wanted to end the year with something festive and also tick off another trope from the challenge lmao

"Hey, are you free on the 24th?"

Tetsuya paused while flipping through a magazine, phone to ear when he was casually talking with Kagami on the phone.

Kagami called around an hour ago to ask about something school related and they have been talking about random things since.

Kagami went silent a few minutes ago and Tetsuya thought that maybe he was answering the door or checking on something on TV. And even if he wasn't, they both had no problems in relishing in comfortable silences even through the phone. It should be awkward, but for some reason it wasn't. Tetsuya had rather not think how that reflected on their relationship though.

"Excuse me?" Tetsuya asked after a longer pause, that he hoped Kagami didn't notice.

"Aaah, you're busy right?"

"No." Kuroko denied quickly. "I-"

"You're not spending Christmas with your family?" Kagami asked suddenly, sounding a bit incredulous, even though he asked the question _himself_ and sounded hopeful.

"My family doesn't celebrate Christmas Kagami-kun. Not on the 24th at least." He paused meaningfully, hoping that the implication would sink in.

"Yeah, we normally do it on the 25th too, but I asked coach and captain and they said that everyone would be busy. They seemed to look a bit guilty when I said I could throw a Christmas party and had to say no.

_That's because they probably wanted to spend the day alone_. Tetsuya thought and rubbed his temples.

"I'm sorry. It seems it's not the best time of the year."

"Yeah."

There was a pause and Tetsuya could basically feel Kagami's pleading gaze.

"I'm free." He finally said and chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. "I won't bother your father I hope?"

"Oh no! He's not gonna make it and I didn't want to go back to the states and sit alone at his apartment anyway." He snorted. "So it's cool. Alex can't make it either, and Tatsuya is visiting his parents in L.A."

"I see." Kuroko admitted and felt guilty for assuming what he did. Kagami wanted to spend Christmas with someone he felt close too, because Christmas was a _family holiday_.

"So you can come?"

"Yes. Should I-"

"It's cool! You don't have to bring anything. We'll go shopping and I'll make dinner and then we can watch movies if that's okay? Unless you're just being nice to me, but have other things planned."

Kuroko rolled his eyes.

"I do not. I will be there. Is 8 am fine?"

"Perfect."

Kuroko nodded to himself.

"Alright. I'll see you then."

"Yeah. See you."  Kagami answered, his voice excited and warm and after he hung up Tetsuya tried not to smother himself with a pillow.

* * *

 

Christmas was a magical time. The time to spend with people one valued the most. The time to spread joy and positivity. The time of presents and pretty lights and kindness among people. Of singing heartfelt songs and eating good food and spending time in good company.

That was Kagami's Christmas. The kind of Christmas Kuroko sometimes read in novels or saw in foreign films. The kind of atmosphere that his native filmmakers tried to imitate, adding their own cultural spin and flavor to.

The kind of Christmas that evoked the feeling of coziness and warmth. Like a blanket or warm fire from a candle. Kuroko liked the atmosphere just fine. He liked the smells and the gift giving and the songs, decorations and pretty lights.

Except, that wasn't how Christmas was in Japan.

Well, most of it. At least the 24th wasn't.

Christmas was important from a kind of cultural exchange standpoint. It had very little religious value to most Japanese people, as they weren't Christian.

In terms of familial relationships, they had their own festivities.

So what did Christmas mean?

Romance. In short.

Somehow, the holiday turned into a second valentine's day .

Anyone going outside prior to the 24th and on the day, could notice that the amount of couples in every age, strolling around _quadrupled_.

So the smells and the lights and the candles and pretty songs began to mush together and turn into a sort of romantic atmosphere, rather than just a cozy and warm one.

And Tetsuya wasn't so clueless as to not understand that people in different countries were different and had different understanding of things.

But it was still had to separate what his head knew and what his _heart_ knew. Or maybe, it was like the head tried to convince the heart that it was foolish and unreasonable. It was futile, since the heart already knew that.

If it were anyone else. His middle school friends, classmates, Momoi-san even, he'd be fine. He wouldn't bat an eye.

Even if their team was there, he could _not_ pretend that this was something different that it was already.

Kagami-kun didn't know, or didn't remember about this difference. Or he didn't care, which was also a possibility. Which was even worse, because his intent of treating Tetsuya like a friend from start to finish was at least _honest_.

Tetsuya eyed the door to Kagami’s apartment.

Never before he felt hesitant to press the doorbell or to knock, and even on very rare occasions press the door handle and just walk inside.

He wondered if maybe he should go back home and call Kagami that he was sick and couldn’t come after all, but then he imagined his disappointed voice and chided himself for being so selfish. Kagami-kun invited him to spend Christmas Eve because they were _friends_. And that was _fine_.

He finally pressed the doorbell and waited for Kagami to open the door, his heart skipping beats and cheeks glowing. He hoped it would look like the blush was mostly a result of the cold.

Kagami opened the door and after he focused his gaze enough and spot Kuroko, grinned when he saw him.

“Hey.”

“Hello.”

Kagami was wearing a Christmas apron with a reindeer and tinsel on his neck. Kuroko couldn’t help but snort.

Kagami looked down at the ridiculously, gaudy apron and then back at Kuroko.

“It’s from Alex okay.”

Kuroko nodded, trying not to laugh too much and walked pass Kagami when he stepped aside to let him in.

Kuroko took off his coat and sneakers when Kagami excused himself back to the kitchen. Just now Kuroko noticed the delicious smells coming from the apartment and followed them curiously.

Kagami was making a full blown Christmas dinner, with turkey and all. Kuroko knew that most of it was because Kagami ate like a small army, so Kuroko didn’t worry that he wouldn’t be able to eat it all. What stunned Kuroko a bit was that Kagami bothered to make a full Christmas dinner _just_ for the two of them, rather than deciding on two dishes and making an abundance of them.

“Do you need help?” Kuroko asked tentatively, when Kagami was stirring something deliciously smelling in one of the pots.

“Hm? Nah, I’m almost done here, just.” He paused and took off the red tinsel from his neck and gave it to Kuroko. “You can help me decorate the tree?”

Kuroko nodded and took the decoration and went into the spacious living room.

There, upon seeing the giant, _real_ , tree, decorated only with lights, he gasped slightly, because he didn’t expect that at _all_.

Kagami came into the living room after a moment.

“What?” He asked when he saw Kuroko’s gaze.

“Did you buy a real Christmas tree?”

Kagami rolled his eyes.

“No, I stole Midorima from his house. What do you think?”

Kuroko snorted at the joke.

“Did you bring it here by yourself? It’s huge.”

Kagami rubbed the back of his neck.

“It wasn’t that heavy…and expensive. I didn’t have a real tree since I was nine okay? I don’t care if it’s lame.”

Kuroko gave Kagami a fond look, that he was sure the other boy missed when he turned back to look at the tree.

“I never said it was lame.” He said and then inhaled. The smell of pine and warm food was lovely.

They got to work quickly. Kuroko carefully opened each box and looked through the myriad of colorful decorations and tactfully arranged them on the branches.

“Kagami-kun, how many boxes do you have?” Kuroko asked exasperated when Kagami came back with another box.

“Uh, this is the last one.” He put it on the coffee table. “Those were my mom’s and I never put them up, so I thought I’d do it at least once.” He shrugged a bit awkwardly and then disappeared for a longer moment in the kitchen.

Kuroko shook his head, but opened the last box. Those were mostly hand painted baubles and handmade tinsel. Kuroko felt a swell of affection. He was extra careful when he put them up. Kagami came back when he was putting the last of them. He put on the star and they both put the tinsel. Kagami turned on the lights and Kuroko sighed.

It was really beautiful. Colorful, bright, warm. It looked like one of those trees from movies or Christmas cards.

Kagami grinned and reached out his first towards Kuroko.

Kuroko smiled back at the cheesiness and returned the fist bump.

* * *

 

“Is something wrong with your cake?”

Kuroko looked up from his plate, at which he was poking with his fork and blinked.

“No. It’s delicious.” He said and took a bite. The strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and a small Santa from icing for decoration was indeed delicious. It was perfectly spongy, sweet and delicate. It was a type of cake that Kuroko really enjoyed – sweet but not so his teeth would hurt. Meaning the quality of the pastries at the café they were currently seated was indeed high.

Kuroko fidgeted slightly.

The shopping went well. Kuroko decided to buy something for his family and maybe for Ogiwara as well. They haven’t seen each other in a while, and Kuroko didn’t manage to attend his birthday, so he would try and compensate for it that way.

Kagami also did his own shopping pretty swiftly. He simply asked each person what they would want and put it down and now was methodically making his way through the crowded stores. Maybe it lacked the element of surprise, but Kagami, as he himself claimed, was really bad at presents.

Kuroko managed to forget about the uncomfortable implication and was enjoying himself with his friend. Up to the moment when Kagami said he was tired and he wanted to grab a bite.

Kuroko nodded, fully expecting them to attend the local Majibu, but then his eyes almost bulged out of his skull when Kagami entered one of the more popular cafes.

It was of course popular with couples, and _of course_ crowded on Christmas Eve.

He hoped that maybe they wouldn’t be able to get a table, but his hopes were quickly crushed, because just as they entered a table became vacant.

Kuroko tried protesting that he had not enough money, after he looked at the menu, but Kagami simply said that he could lend him the missing sum.

Kuroko squirmed on the small, fancy chair and took another bite of the cake.

Kagami was playing with the ear of his cup of coffee for a moment, before he sighed.

“You don’t like it here.”

Kuroko shook his head.

“I’m just…why this place?” He asked, hopefully casual enough. The whispers and giggles around them embarrassed him, and he tried not to look around too much. Thankfully, no one paid them any mind.

Kagami shrugged.

“Dunno. Tatsuya send me the address. Also apparently cafes are popular during Christmas or something.”

Kuroko felt his cheeks heat again, hoping that the pinkish glow from the lamps and the wallpaper would hide it. He…appreciated what Himuro-san tried to do, but also it was futile since Kagami-kun was unaware and also _uninterested_.

“It’s nice. Thank you.” Kuroko said, feeling that it was appropriate.

Kagami smiled slightly.

“Hey, uh. I, uh. I. I hope this won’t be awkward or anything but…” Kagami trailed off and then reached into his bag and took something out of it.

“Uh, Merry Christmas.” He set a small box in front of Kuroko. It wasn’t hand wrapped, since Kuroko knew Kagami was terrible at hand wrapping things, but instead it was one of those decorative boxes.

Kuroko paused and then frowned suddenly.

“What!?” Kagami sputtered.

“That’s a little unfair don’t you think?”

“What?”

“You could have told me. I don’t have anything for you.”

Kagami looked sheepish and embarrassed as he rubbed the nape of his neck and then shrugged.

“It’s fine. I don’t need anything and besides.” He paused and blushed suddenly. “You uh, you spending Christmas with me is enough of a present so.”

Kuroko’s fork almost fell out of his hand right then. He was certain his blush was very visible right now.

“Please.” He said and then cleared his throat. “Please don’t say things like that anymore.”

“Huh? What? Why?”

“Because-“ _Because I’m not going to make it_. “Because it’s embarrassing.”

To Kuroko’s surprise, Kagami didn’t sputter, ruffle his hair or called him an idiot out loud. He merely frowned and mumbled something, incomprehensible and then nudged the box in Kuroko’s direction.

“Open it.” He said more softly now.

Kuroko obliged.

It was a pair of bright, red sports wrist bands.

“I figured.” Kagami said and took one of the wristbands from the box. “That you’d want to save the ones Ogiwara and the guys gave you before they fall apart.” He grinned. “Gimme your hand.”

Kuroko did and watched a bit fascinated as Kagami first rolled up his sleeve and slipped the cloth on his wrist. He adjusted it then for a moment and for the first time, Kuroko realized that his wrists were sort of sensitive and he shivered.

“There. It fits. I had to be sure.”

“Why…red?”

Kagami looked at him like he asked the most obvious question in the world.

“It’s Seirin’s color.”

“Oh. I see. Thank you. They are very soft.”

“Yeah, soft and good for stabilizing the wrist.”

Kuroko nodded and finally, _finally_ , managed to slip his hand out of Kagami’s grip.

Kuroko took off the wristband and put it gingerly back into the box.

They returned to eating in relative silence and Kuroko, all the while wondered if Christmas presents given after Christmas still counted.

* * *

 

When they left the cafe, Kagami said he wanted to look at the local market in the neighborhood, just because he missed the feeling of similar Christmas markets at home.

Kagami was looking through random spices, while Kuroko was looking at books and journals, when they passed the trees and he again inhaled the pleasant smell of pine.

A plant caught his eye, which he wasn’t able to recognize.

"Kagami-kun?" He asked, patting his friend on the arm.

"Hm?" Kagami asked when he finished paying for the bag which smelled suspiciously like gingerbread and cinnamon.

"What is that? That plant with those white...orbs?" He asked and subtly showed it to Kagami.

To Kuroko’s surprise Kagami’s eyes went wide for a split second and then he blushed and turned his head away for a moment and then looked back at Kuroko.

“You really don’t know?”

Kuroko shook his head, puzzled by Kagami’s sudden shyness.

“It’s mistletoe.” He explained after a moment of rubbing at his nape. “You uh, you put it up, like over the door during Christmas for good luck and stuff.”

“I see.” Kuroko nodded, still puzzled by Kagami’s reaction.

“And uh, there is this tradition, I have no idea where it comes from, but people in America really like it for some reason.”

Kuroko waited patiently for Kagami to finish.

“You uh, when you find yourself under it with someone you’re supposed to kiss.”

_Oh._

Kuroko felt his cheeks go warm for a moment, suddenly understanding Kagami’s embarrassment.

“Anyone?” Kuroko asked after a moment and immediately hid his face behind his scarf.

Kagami’s ears were red.

“Uh, well. No one’s going to force you, but…I guess? Alex certainly didn’t have to be told twice.” Kagami grimaced.

“Ah, I see. So it’s a family tradition?”

“Huh? Well, not really? Mostly couples do it so. But it's not limited to them. It's really embarrasing though.”

They both paused, looking at each other.

Kuroko turned around then and without a word approached the stand. It took him a moment to get the sellers attention, but after a moment he bought a small wreath of mistletoe and came back to Kagami’s side.

“For good luck.” He said and showed him the plant.

Kagami didn’t say anything, just blushed harder and told Kuroko to hurry up.  

Even though Kagami-kun didn’t do any of the things on purpose today, Kuroko felt like he had to at least attempt _some_ form of payback.

No matter that he was blushing himself on the way back.

* * *

 

Kagami wrapped his arms around Kuroko's waist, cheeks almost brushing and tied the knot at his back.

"There. So you don't ruin your fancy sweater."

Kuroko glared at Kagami, cheeks red, not only from the comment.

When Kagami rolled his eyes and turned to the fridge, Kuroko looked down on his own apron. It was checkered and blue and looked normal, unlike Kagami's gaudy, Christmas one. At first Kagami tried to push it on Kuroko, but he declined, saying he wouldn't be caught alive wearing such a thing. 

Kuroko now understood why Kagami bough the bag of spices; cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and vanilla, when he started preparing the dough.

“Cookies?”

Kagami nodded sheepishly.

“I uh, used to do them with Alex and Tatsuya in L.A every time before Christmas, and I didn’t get the chance last year so…” He trailed off.

Kuroko hummed. He knew Kagami was a great cook, but not that good of a baker. Of course ‘not that good’ was still very good when relating to Kagami, who skillfully mixed the ingredients for the dough. 

In no time it was done and the whole kitchen was filled with the wonderful mix of spices.

“It’s not real gingerbread, but they’d have to do.” Kagami shrugged when he let Kuroko roll out the dough.

“Sorry I don’t have any moulds.” He said while cutting the round shapes with a glass. Kuroko helped and soon they had a few plates of cookies that immediately went into the oven.

“It smells wonderful.” Kuroko said when the sweets were done. They waited a bit for them to cool down.

Kuroko grabbed the bowl of icing that Kagami prepared when Kuroko was finishing out the dough.

Before Kagami even had the chance to put it on the first cookie, Kuroko took a spoon and quickly and skillfully drew a star and then a snowflake on the next one. He paused before decorating the third and then quickly drew a Nigou.

He smiled to himself when Kagami groaned next to him.

“What are you obsessed?”

Kuroko looked at Kagami and then at his basketball decorated cookies and raised an eyebrow. Kagami scowled and blushed.

“Shut up.”

Kuroko rolled his eyes and took another cookie and quickly drew an image of Kagami, to which the real Kagami sputtered. Kuroko didn’t care much for it, but began a mass production of Kagami-cookies.

“Stop exaggerating my eyebrows!”

“No.”

“Kuroko!”

The remaining pastries quickly turned into the Generation of Miracles and Seirin members.

“Wait, where are you?” Kagami asked when he looked around the table.

Kuroko blinked and shrugged.

Kagami took the last cookie that was still available and clumsily drew something that was supposed to resemble Kuroko.

The boy looked closely at Kagami’s art work and for some reason felt deeply touched at the gesture, and at the same time amused at how terrible it looked. Kagami looked at him expectantly.

“That looks nothing like me.” He finally said after a pause.

Kagami grabbed his head and ruffled it roughly.

“Oh shut up you.”

Kuroko swatted his hand away, but then paused when Kagami’s hand slid down over his nape for a brief moment, making him shiver slightly.

Kagami turned away from Kuroko and started to clean the kitchen and it looked as if he either did it unconsciously or it didn’t mean anything for him.

Kuroko didn’t know which was worse.

* * *

 

After they had dinner and Kagami was in the kitchen preparing hot chocolate, Kuroko decided to head home.

He just couldn’t handle the atmosphere anymore.

They ate dinner and chatted as usual. Or rather Kuroko would hope it was as usual. Kagami dimmed the lights in the living room so that the Christmas tree gave off a soft and gentle glow. Kagami changed into a nicer shirt, but still it made Tetsuya feel like he overdressed.

Kagami put on the stereo with soft Christmas songs and carols in English, that to Kuroko’s foreign ears sounded whimsy and soulful. The food was of course delicious and the atmosphere was nice and cozy and Tetsuya felt like he was going to die any moment now.

He knew that all of this was supposed to be homey, friendly and inviting, but it was too soft and intimate for him to thoroughly relax and not associate it with a romantic dinner.

There was even a candle at the table.

So Tetsuya couldn’t take it and sneaked past the kitchen and into the genkan.

He was putting on his shoes when he heard shuffling and he paused when he knew Kagami was standing in the doorway.

“You’re leaving?”

Tetsuya bit his lip and then turned around and gave Kagami a small smile.

“I’m going home. Mother called.”

“Oh.” Kagami looked guilty for some reason. “Sorry. I kept you away from your family on Christmas.”

Kuroko opened his mouth to remind Kagami that his family _didn’t_ celebrate Christmas. At least not the way Kagami did, but he paused.

“I should be the one to apologize.” Kuroko said.

“Huh? Why?” Kagami blinked in confusion.

“I-“ He started and then paused. How to say that? How to admit to that? Tetsuya felt shameful.

“For nor being able to celebrate Christmas with you the way you wanted.”

Kagami blinked a few times.

“What? But we did? We went shopping and I gave you a present and baked cookies, even decorated the Christmas tree? And now we were about to watch Christmas movies? You can’t get more Christmas than that!”

Kuroko watched Kagami flail for a moment, until he went silent.

“Yes, but…the intent was different.”

“What do you mean? What intent? What's the intent of Christmas other than to just be...” He paused at the loss of words.

Kuroko felt his cheeks color.

“Christmas Eve is reserved for couples here.” There he said that. It was now out in the open and Kagami couldn’t misunderstand it, no matter how he tried.  “And yours is friends and family…”

A longer than normal silence fell between them where Kagami blushed and looked away for a moment. He rubbed the nape of his neck and sneaked a glance at Kuroko.

“Don’t get mad at me but…” Kagami paused and blushed even more and then it was him that looked shameful “I knew about that…I mean not from the start, just…recently…”

Kuroko opened his mouth to say something, not sure what, but Kagami didn’t let him and continued.

“I mean, I wanted to spend Christmas with everyone, but as you know they had other plans and stuff, and then you didn’t and you’re my best friend so I was glad that you wanted and then I saw a dumb ad in the TV and was like ‘oh right it’s like valentine's day here damn it!’”

Kuroko’s lips quirked in an amused smile at Kagami’s expression.

“But I didn’t want to call it back and you never brought it up that it was weird or something so I figured you didn’t mind or never considered it a-a da- I mean something more so it was cool, but then I started thinking I…” Kagami paused and took a deep breath and continued.

“That I sorta, kinda, maybe wanted to…be more.”

Kuroko stared at him with wide eyes, trying to comprehend.

“…And now you’re weirded out right?” Kagami sighed and looked _so_ disappointed.

“It’s fine…I’m not mad. Just…we can still be friends right?”

Kuroko stared at Kagami for a moment, and hoped he was actually hearing right.

“I’m not sure…”

Kagami’s face fell for a moment and Kuroko quickly added.

“I’m not sure just being friends will satisfy me anymore.” He blushed to the roots of his hair, when he finished, but stubbornly didn't turn his head away.

Kagami inhaled sharply, but didn’t say anything. They both just started at each other, until Kagami fidgeted and moved forward. Kuroko didn’t move away and let Kagami cup his face in his hands.

“You really can’t stay?

Kuroko shook his head lightly.

“I lied. I’m sorry. I think I will be able to…if you still want me.”

Instead of responding Kagami kissed him.

Kuroko’s eyes widened for a moment and then he grabbed at Kagami’s arms, stood on his toes and kissed back.

“I’m sorry I lied.” Kuroko said with a gasp when the kiss ended and Kagami snorted and then started laughing quietly.

Kuroko’s heart pounded but he chuckled as well, head falling back against the wall.

Pause.

“Kagami-kun?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re under the mistletoe.”

Kagami looked up and indeed saw the plant hanging from the ceiling. Kuroko didn't remember either of them putting it up.

They both blushed when he looked back at Kuroko.

“W-well it is uh, a tradition right?”

Kuroko eyed him for a moment, enjoyed how he squirmed under his gaze.

"Just a tradition?"

"No." Kagami answered after a bit, red hue on his cheeks and then he grinned and unexpectedly kissed Kuroko again.

"But." Kagami said when they separated after a long moment. "There are other traditions I want to show you."

Kuroko didn't manage to say more when Kagami grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the living room.

Not that he minded.

He'd promised he'd stay after all.

**Author's Note:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! I suck at Christmas fics, but I haven't posted anything in a while and i finished this and it felt so comforting lol 
> 
> I really love how this challenge is called 30 days of CHEESY TROPES, and let's me be as tropey and cheesy as I want haha. 
> 
> Also I'm writing it out of order bc I can :') 
> 
> Merry Christmas!!


End file.
